Detachable heel



Feb. 20, 1951 T. GILMOUR 2,542,078

DETACHABLE Original Filed Jan. 10, 1945 INVENTOK Thomas G'ulmour- ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE HEEL Thomas Gilmour, Brooklyn, N. Y. Substitutedfor abandoned application Serial No. 572,196, January 10, 1945. v This application June 15, 1948, Serial No. 33,085

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to interchangeable heels and is a substitute for my abandoned application Serial No. 572,196 filed January 10, 1945.

More particularly, the invention proposes the construction of a heel and means for releasably attaching the same to the heel base of a shoe in a manner so that the heel may be quickly and easily detached and replaced with a new heel, when desired, without the use of any tools or skill on the part of the person making the change.

Still further, the invention proposes the com bination with a heel base having a groove formed in and extending along two sides and the back of a channel-like horseshoe member engaged about said base and having its top arm engaging in and along said groove, and a heel having a groove formed in and extending along its sides and back and engaged by the bottom arm of said channel-like horseshoe member by which said heel is supported in position.

The invention contemplates the use of a plate mounted on the front of said heel base and having openings through which the ends of said horseshoe member pass by which the heel may be locked in position.

Still further the invention proposes the provision of latches on said plate releasably engaging the ends of said horseshoe member.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing said channel-like horseshoe member of more than one part, preferably hingedly connected together.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as mentioned which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe provided with an interchangeable heel constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a back elevational view of the shoe shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the heel, per se.

The interchangeable heel, in accordance with 2 the present invention, is used in combination with a heel base I5 of a shoe 16. This heel base -5 is formed with a groove ll which extends along its sides and back. A horseshoe member 58 which is channel-shaped in cross-section, engages about said heel base I5 and has its top arm engaging in and along said groove IT. A heel is is positioned upon the bottom of the heel base 15. This heel 19 has a groove 20 which is engaged by mount the latches 2-5.

the bottom arm of the horseshoe member l8 and by which the heel I9 is supported.

A plate 2| is mounted on the front of the heel base I5 preferably with several screws 22. This plate 2| has openings 23 through which end lugs 24 from the ends of said horseshoe member I8 pass. Latches 25 are mounted on the plate 25 and 'releasably engage the lugs 24 for locking the channel-like horseshoe member I8 in position.

The latches 25 are in the nature of pivotally mounted hooks. Pintles 26 are used to pivotally The front ends of the latches are provided with hook portions which engage through small openings 21 formed in the lugs 24.

The channel-like horseshoe member I8 is formed from two sections. There is a right hand section and a left hand section which are hingedly connected at the back of the heel by a hinge 28. The heel 19 may be of rubber, or any other suitable material.

When the heel l9 becomes worn it may be replaced. To do this the latches 25 are first opened.

Then the channel-like horseshoe member 18 is slipped slightly rearwards so that the lugs 24 disengage from the openings 23 in the plate 2i. Then the side sections of the channel-like horseshoe member 18 are spread open about the hinge 28. This frees the heel l9 which may then be removed and replaced.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the extended lugs on the ends of the horseshoe mem ber, said plate being formed with openings aligned with and through which said lugs project, and latches on said plate and engaging said lugs.

2. Means for securing in position a channelshaped horseshoe member engaged with parallel grooves formed about the side and back of a heel and the heel base of a shoe, comprising a plate secured to the front face of the heel, forwardly extended lugs on the ends of the horseshoe member, said plate being formed with openings aligned with and through which said lugs project, and latches on said plate and engaging said lugs, said lugs having their free ends projected beyond the front face of said plate and formed with small openings, said latches comprising hooks ivotally mounted on the front face of said plate and engaged with the small openings of said lugs.

3. In a shoe having a heel base formed with a groove about the sides and back thereof and a separate heel beneath the heel baseformed with a groove about the sides and back thereof and extended parallel to the groove of the heel base, means releasably securing the heel to the heel base, comprising a channel-shaped horseshoe member formed of superimposed sections engaged about the heel and heel base with the upper section engaging the groove of the heel base and the lower section engaging the groove of the heel, a hinge pivotally connecting said sections together, a plate secured to the front face of the heel base and having its bottom portion extended downward over the front face of the heel, said plate being formed with openings aligned with the ends of said sections, forwardly extended lugs formed on the ends of said sections and projected into said openings for holding said sections against pivotin relative to one another, and means releasably securing said horseshoe member to said plate.

4. In a shoe having a heel base formed with a groove about the sides and back thereof and a separate heel beneath the heel base formed with a groove about the sides and back thereof and extended parallel to the groove of the heel base, means releasably securing the heel to the heel base, comprising a channel-shaped horseshoe member formed of superimposed sections engaged about the heel and heel base with the upper section engaging the groove of the heel base and the lower section engaging the groove of the heel, a hinge pivotally connecting said sections together, a plate secured to the front face of the heel base and having its bottom portion extended downward over the front face of the heel, said plate being formed with openings aligned with the ends of said sections, forwardly extended lugs formed on the ends of said sections and projected into said openings for holding said sections against pivoting relative to one another, and means releasably securing said horseshoe member to said plate, the lugs of one of said sections being of a length to extend completely through their respective openings and formed beyond the front face of said plate with holes, said latter-mentioned releasable securing means comprising hooks pivotally mounted on the front face of said plate and engaged into said holes.

THOMAS GILMOUR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 598,385 McDonald Feb. 1, 1898 951,021 McCollum Mar. 1, 1910 1,062,338 Kane May 20, 1933 1,346,841 Padden July 20, 1920 2,183,218 Hewson Dec. 12, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 185,728 Germany June 7, 1907 

